Electrical cord connecter



l oct-. 2o, 1936. L. KELLNER 058,321

ELECTRICAL CORD CONNECTER Filed Dec. 5, i933 3 4 wh/,32355527.3- /0 2136zz Ja f' J 10 v Gttornegs Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 14 Claims.

The present invention relates more particularly to improvements in anelectrical circuit cord connecter of the type commonly employed toattach a circuit cord to an electric iron or other electrical device.Such a connecter has twin terminal sockets to receive terminal pins onthe iron. Often the connection between said sockets and pins is insecureand movement of the iron in service causes play between the sockets andpins and consequent arcing within the connecter. As a result theconnecter and circuit wires deteriorate rapidly and often a fuse isburnt out.

Important objects of the invention are, to provide in such a connecterconvenient manually operable means to clamp the terminal sockets to theinserted contact pins and maintain positive and secure electricalconnections between them, and to provide for the convenient operation ofsaid clamping means and also the operation of a' circuit switch embodiedin the connecter, by

means of a common operating device.

Other objects Vof the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 isa face view o-f anV electrical cord connecterembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 an opposite face view of the connecter;

Fig. 3 a side elevation of the connecter;

Fig. 4 a longitudinal section approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a longitudinal section approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;and

Fig. 6 a transverse section approximately on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

The structure of the cord connecter or attachment plug, as suchconnecters are. commonly called, includes an insulation body oblong incross section and formed of opposed blocks or slabs I and 2 of hardrubber or other suitable insulating material. The slab I extends formost of the length of the connecter while the slab 2 is much shorter andterminates at a point spaced materially inward from the open end of theconnecter. A metal sleeve 3 encases the slabs. The latter t snugly inthe sleeve and are held therein in face to face contact. A metal cap 4fits snugly over the end of the sleeve in whichthe slab or block 2 islocated and has a nipple 5`through which the circuit cord C extends intothe connecter and in which the usual cord encircling spring 6 isanchored. The cap is anchored to the sleeve as will be describedhereinafter. A block or slab 9 of hard insulation is disposed within thesleeve face to face with the slab I and extends from the slab Z t0 theforward end of the sleeve. At their opposed faces the blocks I and 9 areformed with longitudinal grooves I0 which cooperate to define parallellongitudinally split sockets opening through the forward end of theconnecter.

In each of said sockets in the insulation blocksV thereis a pair ofopposed resilient metal contact strips II. The latter are substantiallysemitubular in form and they define split terminal sockets. The innerends of each pair of strips are flattened and secured to the slab I asat I2. At their forward ends the strips are ared to form the mouths ofthe terminal sockets. The strips are springy and they are normallyspread slightly apart. The grooves I0 in the opposed blocks I and 9 areformed to snugly fit the semi-tubular strips, and the block 9 hasclearance within the sleeve to shift transversely toward and from theblock I, to press one strip of each pair toward the other, or permit itto spring therefrom. The face portion of the sleeve overlying the block9 has a substantially U-shaped slit defining a resilient tongue I3 tobear against the block 9. Manually operable means are provided to pullsaid tongue inward to press the shiftable block 9 inward andtransversely compress and clamp the terminal sockets in tight grippingengagement with inserted terminal pins on an electric iron or otherdevice.

At the opposite face of the connecter from that bearing the tongue I3there is a cam member I4 pivotally mounted, as at I5, on the cap 4. Saidcam member may be formed of a sheet metal stamping. It has an arcuatecam slot I6, eccentric with relation to the pivot axis, and a radial armI'I formed with an upturned tab engageable by the thumbv to rotate thecam. A tension link I8 operatively connects the cam member with thetongue I3 at the opposite side of the connecter. This link extendsobliquely through a slot I9 in the sleeve 3 and through registeringpassages 20 and 2| in the blocks I and 9 respectively and locatedcentrally between the terminal sockets. To fully insulate the link fromthe sockets the block 9 has a longitudinal central partitioning rib 22fitted in a groove 23 in the block I. The link passage 2| leads throughthis rib. At one end the link has a hook 24 anchored to the cam memberwithin the cam slot and at its opposite end the link has a hook 25anchored to the free end of the tongue I3 Within a notch thereof.

When the cam member is in its normal or release position, shown in Fig.1, the hook 24 of the tension link is disposed at a point in the camslot farthest removed from the cam pivot.` Rotation" of the cam in thedirection indicated by the arrow causes the cam lgroove to pull the hooknearer to the cam pivot. Thereby tension is exerted on the tension linkto pull the tongue I3 inward and press the shiftable block 9 inward, totransversely compress the terminal sockets. Upon shifting of the cam torelease position the tension on the link is relieved and the tongue I3springs back to normal position and permits the terminal sockets toexpand. In the release position of the cam the link hook 24 is disposedin a notch 26 at the outer end of the cam slot and the cam is therebylatched in release position. Forcible clamping rotation of the cammember cams the hook out of said notch. There is sufficient clearance inthe cam slot rearward of said notch, and also in the passage in theblock I to permit bending of the link for connecting the hook 24 to thecam A, accommodate the switch. The switch. comprises a yoke-shaped metalswitch arm 21 pivoted, as at 28, on one of thev insulation blocks, torock in a plane parallel to that of the cam member. One of Ythe circuitwires is anchored to a screw 29 on the block I, and a metal connectingstrip 3D also anchored to said screw connects said wire electrically toone of the terminal sockets. The other wire is anchored to a screw 3| onthe block 2, and a metal switch contact stripY 32 is also anchored tosaid screw. A companion spring contact strip 33 is connected to theother terminal socket and has a switch contact end spaced out of contactwith the strip 32. In one position the rockable switch arm 21 bridgesthe space between the contact strips 32 and 33 to close the circuit andin another position of the arm the circuit is broken.

The switch arm 21 is rocked by means of a lever 34 preferably formed ofinsulating material. This lever is pivoted concentrically with theswitch arm. A coiled compression spring 35 operatively connects thelever at one side of the pivot thereof, with the outer end of the switcharm. Normallythe anchorage of the spring is out of alignment with theouter end of the switch arm and the pivot, to form a broken toggle. Atthe opposite side of its pivot the lever has an upstanding pin 36 whichis engageable by the cam member I4 to rock the lever and operate theswitch. Said pin projects outward through clearance slots in the block Iand in the sleeve 3 and cap 4 and into an arcuate slot 31 in the cammember. Slot 31 is concentric with the cam axis and spaced therearoundfrom the slot I6. Itis so formed and located that when the arm is in itsrelease position the pin 36 is at the rear end of the slot, as shown inFig. 1, and the switch arm 21 is in circuit opening position.

When the cam is rocked to compress the terminal sockets there is atfirst no movement of the pin 36 by the cam. Later in the course of thecam movement the forward end of slot 31 engages the pin and the latteris shifted clockwise, with reference to Fig. 4. When the anchorage ofthe spring 35 with the lever 34 has been shifted past dead center thespring acts to snap the switch arm counter-clockwise to engage thecontacts 32 and 33 and close the circuit. Upon reverse movement of thecam the rear end of the cam slot immediately engages the pin 36 andoperates the switch to break the circuit, the snap action of the switchin opening being similar to that in closing.

It will be seen that the device is quite convenient to operate. Theconnecter is applied to the terminal pins of an iron or other device andthe cam is rocked to iirst clamp the terminal sockets to the pins toobtain good secure electrical connections and next throw the switch toclose the circuit. The closure of the switch does not occur until goodelectrical contact between the terminal sockets and inserted pins hasbeen obtained. To further improve the electrical contact the strips IIforming the terminal sockets may be dented inward slightly, as at 38, tomake point engagements with the pins. The clamping means holds theconnecter securely to the pins and eifectually prevents internal arcingand consequent damage to the connecter and the wires. Mere reversemovement of the cam eifects release of the clamping means and also opensthe switch. The cam acts to open the switch before release of theclamping means. The cam is readily operable by the thumb of the handwhich grasps the connecter. The rise of the cam slot, or its approach tothe center of rotation is quite gradual so that great Vclamping forcemay be transmitted and so that the cam will remain locked in itsclamping position and will hold the terminal sockets locked to theinserted contacts.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical cord connecter comprising opposed blocks of hardinsulation; transversely compressible terminal sockets disposed side byside between said blocks to receive electrical contacts; a switch Withinthe connecter to close and open a circuit through said sockets; a sleeveextending around said blocks and having a resilient member to bearagainst one of said blocks, the block engaged by said resilient memberbeing shiftable within the sleeve toward and from the other block; amanually operable cam member rotatably mounted upon the opposite side ofthe connecter from said resilient member and having a cam slot; atension link extending through said blocks, between the sockets, andanchored at one end to said cam slot and at its opposite end to saidresilient member to draw the latter and the shiftable block inward tocompress and clamp the terminal sockets into tight gripping engagementwith the inserted contacts when the cam member is rotated in onedirection and to relieve said compression when the cam member is rotatedin the opposite direction; and an operative connection between the cammember and said switch to close the switch by rotation of the cam memberin its clamping direction and open the switch by rotation of the cammember in the opposite direction.

2. An electrical connecter comprising opposed blocks of hard insulation;a transversely compressible terminal socket disposed between said blocksto receive an electrical contact, one of said blocks being shiftabletoward the other to compress the terminal socket into tight grippingengagement with the inserted contact and being shiftable away from theother blocks for release of the contact; and means shiftably mounted onthe connecter and operable at the exterior thereof to force and locksaid shiftable block against the terminal socket to compress and lockthe latter in tight gripping engagement with the inserted contact.

3. An electrical connecter comprising opposed blocks of hard insulation,transversely compressible terminal sockets mounted between said blocksto receive electrical contacts, one block being shiftable toward andfrom the other; and manually operable means carried by the connecter toforce said shiftable block toward the other block to compress and clampthe terminal sockets in tight gripping engagement with the insertedcontacts.

v 4. An electrical cord connecter comprising opposed blocks of hardinsulation, transversely compressible terminal sockets mounted side byside between said insulation blocks to receive electrical contacts, asleeve extending around said blocks, one of the blocks being shiftablewithin the sleeve toward and from the other block, and manually operablemeans borne by the connecter for forcing said shiftable block toward theother block to compress the sockets into tight gripping engagement withthe inserted contacts.

5. An electrical cord connecter comprising opposed blocks of hardinsulation; transversely compressible terminal sockets disposed side byside between said blocks to receive electrical contacts; a sleeveextending around said blocks and having a resilient member to bearagainst one of said blocks, the block engaged by said resilient memberbeing shiftable within the sleeve toward and from the other block; amanually operable cam member rotatably mounted upon the opposite side ofthe connecter from said resilient member and having a cam slot; atension link extending through said blocks, between the sockets, andanchored at one end to said cam slot and at its opposite end to saidresilient member to draw the latter and the shiftable block inward tocornpress and clamp the terminal sockets into tight gripping engagementwith the inserted contacts when the cam member is rotated in onedirection and to relieve said compression when the cam member is rotatedin the opposite direction.

6. An electrical cord connecter comprising opposed blocks of hardinsulation; transversely compressible terminal sockets disposed side byside between said blocks; a sleeve extending around said blocks andhaving a resilient member to bear against one of said blocks, the blockengaged by said resilient member being shiftable within the sleevetoward and from the other block; a cap tted over one end of said sleeve;a cam member rotatably mounted on said cap at the opposite side of theconnecter from said resilient member and having a cam slot; a tensionlink extending obliquely through said blocks between the sockets andanchored at one end to said cam slot and at its opposite end to saidresilient member to draw the latter and the shiftable block inward tocompress and clamp the terminal sockets into tight gripping engagementwith the inserted contacts when the cam member is rotated in onedirection and to relieve said compression when the cam member is rotatedin the opposite direction, said link through its anchorages with the cammember on the cap and with said resilient member on the sleeve servingto hold the cap on the sleeve.

7. An electrical connecter comprising blocks of hard insulation disposedin opposed face to face relation and one shiftable toward and from theother, a transversely compressible terminal socket disposed between theopposed faces of said blocks, said block faces extending the entirelength of said socket'and having grooves to-receive the socket-`and saidshiftable block being shiftable toward'the'other block sufliciently tocompress opposed blockfaces, said faces extending the entire length ofthe terminalsockets, said shiftable block being shiftable toward theother block sufciently to compress the terminal sockets, and manuallyoperable means shiftably mounted on theconnecter and operable at theexterior thereof to force said shiftable block toward the other block tocompress the terminal sockets and lock them compressed to bind them toinserted electrical contacts. Y

9.` A unitary electrical connecter-having cord connections and beingfreely shiftable bodily to make connections with electrical contacts onan iron or other device and comprising a housing, a pair of opposedslab-like blocks of hard insulation fitted in said housing, one of saidblocks being divided transversely into two sections one of which isshiftable within the housing toward and from the other block, a pair oftransversely compressible terminal sockets disposed between saidshiftable block section and the other block, and said block section andsaid other block being grooved at their opposed faces to receive saidsockets, and means borne by the connecter and manually operable at theexterior thereof to force said shiftable block section toward the otherblock to compress the terminal sockets and bind and lock them tocontacts inserted therein.

10. An electrical connecter comprising a pair of clamping blocks inopposed face to face relation and one shiftable toward and from theother, a pair of transversely compressible terminal sockets disposedbetween said blocks to receive electrical contacts, a clamp-operatingdevice rotatably mounted on the connecter and manually rotatable fromthe exterior of the connecter, and an operative connection between saidoperating device and said shiftable block to shift the latter toward theother block by rotation of the operating device to compress the terminalsockets and bind the latter to inserted contacts, said device andoperative connection being adapted to lock the shiftable block insocket-compressing position.

1l. An electrical connecter comprising a pair of clamping blocks inopposed face to face relation and one shiftable toward and from theother; a pair of transversely compressible terminal sockets disposedbetween said blocks to receive electrical contacts, a clamp-operatingcam rotatably mounted on the connecter at the exterior thereof andhaving a cam slot extending around its axis of rotation, a tensionmember anchored in said cam slot, and an operative connection betweensaid tension member and said shiftable block to force the latter towardthe other block by rotation of the cam to compress the terminal sockets,and bind them to electrical contacts inserted therein.

l2. An electrical connecter comprising a pair of clamping blocks inopposed face to face relation and one shiftable toward and from theother, a pair of transversely compressible terminal sockets disposedbetween said blocks; to receive electrical contacts, a clamp-operatingcam rotatably mounted on the connecter at the exterior thereof andhaving a cam slot extending around its axis of rotation, and operativeconnection between said cam slot and said shftable block to force thelattertoward the other block to compress said terminal sockets to bindthem to inserted contacts upon rotation of the cam, a switch within theconnecter to open and close a circuit through the sockets, and anoperative connection between the cam and said switch to close the switchby rotation of the cam in a direction to compress the terminal socketsand to open the switch by reverse rotation of the cam.

13. An electrical connecter comprising a pair of clamping blocks inopposed face to face relation and one shiftable toward and from theother, a pair of transversely compressible terminal sockets disposedbetween said blocks to receive electrical contacts, a clamp-operatingcam rotatably mounted on the connecter at the exterior thereof andhaving a cam slot extending around its axis of rotation, an operativeconnection between said cam slot and said shiftable block to force thelation, means holding said blocks assembled and permitting one block tobe shifted toward and from the other block, a transversely compressibleterminal socket disposed between said blocks said shiftable block beingshiftable toward the other block suciently to compress said socket, andmanually operable clamp-operating and locking means shiftably mounted onthe connecter and operable at the exterior thereof to force saidshiftable block toward the other block to compress and lock the terminalsocket in tight gripping engagement with an inserted contact.

LOUIS KELLNER. 25

